Freight consolidation depot showcased

Bath and North East Somerset Council will give a flavour of how the planned freight transhipment depot will work by showcasing a similar project operated by DHL Exel Supply Chain at Avonmouth in Bristol.

The Council has won funding from the European Commission to set up a freight transhipment depot – special depot for HGVs ideally close to the motorway network. Rather than driving into the centre of Bath to make their deliveries lorries will be able to unload their goods at the depot. Smaller and cleaner delivery vehicles – likely to be electric-powered – will then take full loads of goods to shops and businesses in the city. On their return journey, they can bring back waste packaging for recycling.

Hauliers benefit because it will save their drivers considerable time and reduce distances driven. Retailers will benefit from having a more dependable delivery service with fewer deliveries to handle. Shoppers and residents will benefit from a less-congested city centre and a less-polluted environment.

Councillor Charles Gerrish (Conservative, Keynsham North), Cabinet Member for Customer Services, commented: "Bath and North East Somerset Council recognises the need to reduce HGV lorry traffic travelling to and through Bath. This will help unclog the roads and improve air quality. The freight transhipment depot has worked very effectively in Bristol and the Council believes the same could take place in Bath by working in partnership with the private sector to make such a scheme worthwhile. This initiative will go hand in hand with the rest of the Council’s joined-up plan for £60 million of transport measures, like expanded Park and Ride and bus rapid transit, to help tackle traffic congestion."

Independent studies for the Government suggest that over a 12 hour period in the Bath Urban area a quarter of Lorries come into Bath to bring goods in from outside the city.

The DHL Bristol Experience…

Seventy-two retail outlets from the city centre and the new Cabot Circus shopping centre have already signed up to a similar scheme in Bristol, developed and operated by DHL’s specialist Consolidation Centre team. The response from the retailers has been very positive. The vehicle movement reduction at the Bristol Consolidation Centre is 8967 or 76.38% for those participating in the scheme. Pollution has also been reduced with emission reductions since the beginning of the scheme in 2004 that amount to CO2, 26,771 kgs; Nitrogen Dioxide, (NOx) 870 kgs, harmful Particulate Matter (PM10)25kgs.

At the Bristol Consolidation Centre, DHL has recycled 14 tonnes of cardboard and 3 tonnes of plastic, mostly returned to the centre by retailers. The operation is in its 4th year and DHL delivers on average 330 cages of stock per week, over 50% of deliveries are made on an electric truck (zero emissions) and the balance is delivered on a Euro 4 spec 18 tonne vehicle. All drivers are SAFED trained and certified (Safe And Fuel Efficient Driving).

The Centre was set up in partnership with Bristol City Council to provide a delivery consolidation solution to retailers – the first of its kind in a city centre environment. Its innovation has won several industry and environmental awards having demonstrated significant reductions in urban freight movements, reducing the number of deliveries thereby saving costs for retailers, increasing waste recycling and easing congestion.

City Centre Manager Andrew Cooper commented: “The concept of a transhipment depot for smaller deliveries would be a possible solution in removing small to medium sized HGVs into the City Centre at peak times. This scheme has been successful in Bristol and elsewhere in the UK. A pilot is welcome to see if the same benefits can be achieved in Bath.

There are numerous delivery vehicles that block shop windows and the line of sight from Union Street to Milsom Street that deters shoppers from venturing to the north side of the city. Less vehicles during the trading day would be welcomed by businesses and shoppers alike."

Paul Richardson, Divisional Managing Director, Department Stores & Fashion, DHL Exel Supply Chain UK said, “The consolidation centre model provides demonstrable benefits to all parties in the urban area – shoppers, residents, hauliers and retailers. It delivers a sustainable solution that tackles wider urban and environmental challenges and is suitable for implementation in any large town or city.”